Optical absorption and polarization-selected 2 photon resonant multiphoton ionization (REMPI) and photoacoustic (PA) spectroscopic measurements on static samples and REMPI measurements on jet cooled samples of norbornadiene have been carried out to interpret the spectrum of this molecule, compare the results obtained by the different techniques, and assess theoretical calculations of the energies and equilibrium geometries of the excited states of the molecule. All three methods detected the structured 3s Rydberg <-X transition of norbornadiene but only the optical measurement could directly detect either of two lower energy diffuse valence transitions of this molecule. Detailed comparisons of the REMPI and PA spectra of the 3s Rydberg/second valence region of the spectrum demonstrated that only the 3s Rydberg transition is directly observable by REMPI spectroscopy. Once excited the 3s Rydberg transition of the molecule rapidly transfers energy to the valence state which then decays rapidly to the ground state by the emission of heat. The excess energy dependence of the decay rate of the 3s Rydberg state was determined. From these results we hypothesize that the valence transition has a small 2 photon cross section. The vibrational substructure of the 3s Rydberg <-X transition of norbornadiene was also analyzed to determine its excited state geometry to the greatest extent possible. The far UV spectrum of acetone was studied by 3-photon REMPI and PA spectroscopies on static and jet-cooled samples. Two of the observed transition were deduced to be coupled by an asymetric vibration of the molecule. The analysis of this spectrum is continuing.